Device for controlling the brake action in railway cars and the like



Feb. 4, 1947. KATTwlNKEL 2,415,100 DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE BRAKE ACTION IN RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet l I 3 a x k 3 n 72 71 0 7 o I 4 E x P4 30 a0 35 r d 1 1 "so 7 2 6% 13 13a: 1 14, j 14 as a 156,:

InveniOr Afforneyg Feb. 4, 1947. H. KATTWINKEL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE BRAKE ACTION IN RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 22, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 In men for HAM/6' 1m rrnq/wru Feb. 4, 1947. KATTWlNKEL 2,415,100

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE BRAKE ACTION IN RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 22, 19 38 5 Sheets-Sheet s .[n pen for m; mrrm/v/(a Feb. 4, 1947. KATTWlNKEL 2,415,100

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE BRAKE ACTION IN RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 In wen in? mm: m rrw/xwra fltlorn ey Feb. 4, 1947. KATTWINKEL 2,415,100

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE BRAKE ACTION IN RAILWAY CARS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 22, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Af/orney Patented Feb. 4, 1947 LIKE ACTION IN RAILWAY CARS AND THE Hans Kattwinkel, Radebeul, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Original application January 22, 1938, Serial No. I

Divided and this application Februmy 28, 1941, Serial No. 381,146. .In' Germany January 28, 1937 Claims. (Ci. ace-21) The present application is a divisional of applicants preceding application 186,461 filed January 22', 1938, now Patent. Number 2,239,459 dated April 22, 1941.

It is known that when, on braking railway trains, the speed of the train decreases after the commencement of the braking action, as does, therefore, also the sliding speed at the friction surfaces of the brakes, the coeflicient of friction and, thus, also the brake action increases. This takes places in an extraordinarily strongly increasing measure before the train concerned comes to a standstill, 'so that if the pressure forcing the friction bodies pressed against one another would remain constant the car wheels would be blocked and the train, moreover, come to a standstill with an undesired jerk. The c hief conductor is not in the position to obviate that at all events in that he lacks, when actuating the control device for the brakes, completely anyieeling for the actually effected 'brake action which depends not only upon the position of the'brake control lever, but also upon the coefllcient of friction which as mentioned above varies with the friction speed. The chief conductor does not know, therefore, at which point of time and in which measure he must adjust the brake lever to a lower brake action when the speed of the train decreases.

It has already, for the purpose of preventing the so-calledblocking of the wheels of railway cars, as takes place in consequence of too strong braking, been suggested to make the brake pressure automatically dependent on factors connected with the actually arising brake action, as, for instance, on the state of motion of the braked wheel or on the speed of the respective train, as well as on the pressure existing in the brake cylinders.

The known devices hitherto suggested do not, anyhow, enable the chief conductor to adjust the maximum of brake action attainable with the automatic brake control at any desired time, for instance corresponding to the state of the rails at the time being (moisture, covering with ice). In order to provide also for such an adjustment, the control of the pressure medium (for instance compressed air) operating the brakes is effected, according to my invention, by the co-operation of two controlling members, of which the one, as regards its position, depends upon the position of a brake part which takes up the brake power and is elastically supported. This member is termed torque meter in the following part of this specification and in the claims. The position of the other controlling member is determined by an adjustment of the main switch to be actuated by the chief conductor, in such a mannor, that the maximum value of the brake action can be'adiusted from the cabin of the chief con- .ductor at liberty corresponding to the varying conditions (wetness, covering with ice) without any detrimental influence upon the automatic regulation.

My invention is illustrated by way of example on the accompanying drawings, on which Fig. 1 is an embodiment of a railway carriage brake according to the invention in axial section through the lower half of the brake,

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view showing the relative positions of the pressure appliance A and B, said section being taken at right angles to the axis of rotation of wheel I in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the control device showing the brakes in released position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the position of the parts during the initial application of the brakes.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the device showing in detail the connection between the brake and control appliance H.

Fig. 6 is asectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, I denotes the wheel of a railway vehicle, 2 denotes a member rigidly connected with the axle bearing or with the under frame of the vehicle, and denotes the axle.

As may be seen from Figure 1 there is secured to the wheel I, by the aid of massive bolts ii, an annular hollow body which is denoted as a whole by E, and which is composed of three parts, namely the substantially disc-shaped end parts E1, E2, and an annular part E3 connecting them with one another. These three. parts form together an annular casing, which is closed, except for an annular gap 4 between the inner periphery of the disc portion E1 and the hub D's. An annular body D is so connected with the: part 2 of the axle bearing in a manner hereinafter described as to be rotatable only within certain limits. group ll of friction discs. The discs H, which are arranged alternately with discs I l in two packets separate from one another, are guided by ribs or ledges Illa, projecting from the internal surface of the middle part E3 and extending in an axial direction, the discs ll being guided upon similar ribs or ledges i211, which project outwards from the second disc carrier 0. Carrier C will hereinafter be referred to as the loose carrier, and is rotatable without limit both in relation The body E3 forms the carrier of one.

' to the wheel I and its axle and in relation to the axle bearing 2, and therefore in relation to the vehicle underframe. The loose carrier C may be supported by the aid of running rollers 29 distributed around its periphery, on the outer or fixed disc-shaped portion E of housing E, and the running rollers 29 supporting the carrier C being mounted by means of ball bearings on studs 30 fixed on the disc-shaped part E1, of the carrier E so'as to extend axially inwards.

The loose carrier, denoted as a whole by the reference C, is likewise composed of a central annular portion Ca and two side members C1 and C2. The lastnamed parts, which also comprise the ledges of ribs In for guiding the discs H, are of stepped cross section, which is symmetrical about a central plane at right angles to the axle 3, and are guided on the central part C3 by their outer flange members I3 by the aid of bolts l3a,

in such a way that they can slide axially in relation to the latter but cannot rotate. Alongside. the flangeportions C1, C2 of the loose carrier C are located pressure appliances B, which effect the compression of the packets of discs in an axial direction through the medium of discs 20, flange portions C1. C2, ores, and l3, l3. The pressure appliances B are distributed in pairs opposite to one another over the periphery of the annular body D connected with the axle bearing 2. (Figs. 1 and 2.) They consist of hollow cylindrical bellows of thin sheet metal, the interiors of which communicate by a common pipe 25 with a supply I for the pressure fluid, for instance compressed air. The bellows B do not act directly upon the flange members C1, C2 but through the medium of annular discs 20. which discs are so guided, by the aid of bolts 20a (Fig. 2) mounted on the carrying body D and extending in an axial direction, that they can slide axially but cannot rotate relatively to the carrying body D.

Upon the periphery of the carrying body D are arranged pressure appliances A, which consist of pistons 96 (Fig. 2) operating in cylinders 95 communicating with the pressure medium, for instance compressed air through pipes 36.

The pistons are urged towards the axle by means of springs 91. At the free end of the piston rod 98, a wedge 99 is provided which passes between two projections I00, I having correspondingly inclined surfaces on the brake blocks 8, 8 which are in the form of annular sectors. These brake blocks are provided with friction pieces 9, 9, also in the form of annular sectors. When the pistons 96 are forced outwardly in the direction of the arrow by the introduction of pressure medium into the cylinders 95, thereby expanding the brake blocks 8, the friction pieces come into frictional engagement with co-operating friction surfaces on an annular central part C3 of the loose disc carrier C, whereby the braking of the loose disc carrier is effected. If the connection of the cylinders 95 with the source of pressure medium is interrupted and the pipes 36 placed into communication with the atmosphere, then the springs 91 force the pistons 96 back into their initial position, the brake blocks being retracted through the intermediary of pins 31 which pass through the wedges 99 which bear against projections 38 on lugs provided on the brake blocks.

The braking of the loose carrier is effected shortly before the pressure appliances formed by the bellows B come into operation for the compression of the packets of friction discs, and independently of the latter. For this purpose the compressed air ducts 36' and I leading to the pressure appliances A and to the pressure appliances B respectively lead independently of one another through the carrying body D. Only the pressure appliances B are shown in connection with the present control appliance H.

As has already been indicated-above, in describing the construction according to Figure 1, that the annular bod D is rotatable to a certain limited extent relatively to the axle bearing member 2. This is rendered possible by the fact that the part B; of the hub is supported for instance by means of a bronze bush 13 upon the sleeve member Da, said hub being provided with pins I0 projecting axially and distributed roundthe hub periphery. These pins 10 alternate with a corresponding number of stops H, which stops are distributed round the periphery of the flange 2a extending from D3 and bolted to the axle bearing member 2. Between each pin 10 and the adjacent stop H is interposed, as indicated in a more diagrammatic manner by Figure 3, a helic'al spring 12. These springs oppose a resilient resistance to a rotation of the part D'a of the carrying body in relation to the part D: connected with the axle bearing, and ultimately restrict such rotation definitely when they are fully compressed. T;

At one lace on the periphery there is provided, between two outwardly extending arms 14 and 15 connected on the one hand with the body D: and on the other hand with the body D3, a pressure appliance F consisting of spring sheet metal bellows, the hollow interior of which is in communication by a flexible pipe 15 with a controlling appliance H mounted on the underframe of the car.

One arm I4 (Fig. 5) comprises a stud screwed into the annular body D and passing through an arcuate slot 14' in the bearing part 2 and through an arcuate slot 14d in the stop 1| adjacent thereto. This stud at its outer part forms an abutment for a pressure device F (Figs. 3 and 4) which consists of a resilient sheet metal bellows, the other abutment of which is formed by the arm 15 rigidly connected to the body D3.

The controlling appliance consists essentially of a three-stage cylinder member 11, in which there work two piston valves, namely an outer annular piston 18 and an inner piston 19. The latter is subject to the action of a bellows 80, which is connected with the pipe 16, and which, when it expands owing to a rise of fluid pressure in the pipe 1-6 caused by compression of the bellows F (Fig. 3), presses the piston 19 downwards against the action of a spring 8|, which urges it upwards. The piston 18 is subject on one side to the action of bellows 82, the interior of which communicates by a pipe 84 with the brake valve on the driver's control board, and on the other side to the action of a spring 85, which tends to move the piston in the opposite direction.

Two bores 18a and 18b of the piston 18 are connected to flexible pipes 9| and 86 respectively, of which the latter comes from the source of compressed air, while the pipe 9| leads to the bellows B of the brake, which effect the axial compression of the packets of discs. The pipes and 9| pass freely through elongated holes 90 provided in the wall of the cylinder 11. The inner piston 19 is provided with a transverse bore 81, which is of greater diameter than the bores-18a and 18b located opposite to it in the outer piston 18. The piston 19 also has a bore 89, the axially directed portion of which opens freely into the interior of the cylinder 11, which in its turn communicatcs through openings Ha with the atmosphere. Actually, !8 is a piston, which however is acting as a piston merely with its restricted main portion. The lower narrow fiange portion does not act as a piston, butinstead it is acted on by the forces of the pressure exerted on the bellows 82. The flange portion is not tightly fitted in the corresponding enlarged portion of the cylinder H. An annular gap is left which establishes a connection between the lower chamberof the enlarged cylinder portion which in turn is connected with the bore 89, and the upper chamber which is connected with the atmosphere by means of the bores 17a. This gap is clearly indicated in the Figures 3 and 4. The horizontal portion 89a of this bore opens in the peripheral surface of the piston. It may register in a definite relative position of the pistons 18 an d 19 with the horizontal portion 88a of a bore provided in the piston 18, this bore terminating in the bore 181: or in the pipe 9| connected thereto. The pipe 9| is flexible and is attached to a hollow projection la forming a continuation of the supply conduit I and passing through an arcuate slot H in the bearing part 2 and a corresponding arcuate slot lid in the stop H adjacent thereto, the said slots being of sufiicient length to permit the requisite amount of relative movement between the parts D and D3.

The operation is as follows:' In the position of the members illustrated in Fig. 3, the engineers brake valve L establishes the free connection between the bellows 82 acting on the annular slide 18 with the source S of compressed-air by means of the pipe 84. The annular slide 78 is in its. upper end position. The pressure devices B effecting the actuation of the brake are then cut 011' from the source of compressed-air, since .the connection between the cooperating pipes 8B, 8! is interrupted by the control piston 18. The devices B are connected to the outer air by the pipes 9|, 88, and 89, as well as the opening "a and the brakes are released.

When the brakes are to be applied, the brake valve L is turned slowly in clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 4. Thereby, the bellows 82 are out 01f from the source S of compressed-air in the beginning of the operation, and

are thereafter connected to the outer air. As a result of this, the pressure of spring 85 acting on the annular slide 18 exceeds the pressure of the bellows 82; consequently, the slide 18 is moved downwardly, and the connection of the pressure devices B of the brake with the outer air will be interrupted at 89a. In the meantime, the spring 85 has pushed down further the annular slide 18, because the pressure in the bellows 82 has been further reduced. As a result of this, the connection between the pipes 86 and 9| and thereby communication between the source of compressed-air and the pressure devices B of the brake is established, so that the braking operation is initiated. Consequently, the brake member D: is turned to a small extent opposing the pressure action of the springs 12, whereby the arm 14 presses on the bellows F. The pressure of the fluid contained in the bellows F is transferred to the bellows 80 of the control device H by means of the pipe 16, and said bellows pushes the piston 19 downwardly, opposing the action of its spring 8|. In the position of the members, as shown in Fig. 4, no change in the braking operation takes place, because in the meantime the annular slide 18 is also further moved downwards by its spring 85. If, however, for any reason the air by the backward rotation of the engineers brake valve L. The bellows F is further compressed by the arm 14, and consequently, the pis- 8 ton 19 is urged further downwards, whereby first the connection between the pressure devices B of the brake and the sources of compressed-air is again interrupted and after further downward movement of the piston slide 19, the connection between the pressure devices and the outer air is again established at 89a. As a result of the latter connection the pressure acting onthe brake lamellas is decreased, as long as the brake member D: is backwardly rotated due to the decrease of turning momentum cooperating with the pressure, so that the pressure of the arm 14 on the cooperating bellows F ceases and the piston 19 is again moved upwardly by its spring BI. As a result of this upward movement, first the connection between pressure devices B and the outer air is interrupted. and thereafter the connection with the source S of compressed-air is again established. The braking action therefore increases again. This series of operations is repeated untiithe piston I9 finally comes to rest in an intermediate position. This automatic regulating of thebraking torque is independent or the adjustment of the braking action on the part of the train driver, since it occurs in any position of the intermediate piston 18 by which the desired braking action in itself is conditioned. The driver therefore need only adjust the braking action that he considers necessary for the purpose of bringing the train to a standstill at a definite point on the brake lever manipulated by him, which co-operates with a scale of braking action. In each of these adjustments the automatic adaptation of the braking effect concerned to the changing frictional conditions can then take place.

It may be observed that the rotation, occurring when the torque increases, which is utilized for the automatic regulating of the pressure acting upon the packets of friction discs, need not necessarily take place between the members D3 and D's.

Of course the brake devices illustrated, as such, may also be employed for other purposes, particularly where the braking of large and rapidly moving masses is important, as for instance in the case of heavy high-speed vehicles.

What I claim is:

1. In a brake arrangement for controlling the braking effect of railway fluid pressure brakes and the like independently of the variable frictional value of the brake faces, a brake, fluid-pressure actuated means adapted to operate said brake, a pair of movable ported members conjointly operable and having coincidable ports for controlling the admission of said fluid pressure to the brake, the movement of one of said members being responsive to the brake torque and a Second fluid-pressure means including a valve for adjusting the position of the other of said members relative to said first member.

2. In a brake arrangement according to claim 1 in which a second pair of coincidable ports are respectively provided in said movable members for exhausting the fluid pressure from said brake when the brake torque exceeds a predetermined limit set by said second fluid-pressure means.

3. In a brake arrangement for controlling the braking effect of railway fluid pressure brakes and the like independently of the variable frictional value of the brake faces, a brake, an axle housing, an annular member oscillatably supported by said housing and axially movable of the latter to press one of said brake faces into engagement with the other, fluid-pressure actuated means adapted to axially press said annular member to thereby press said first brake face, a movable member having means for admitting said fiuid pressure into said actuated means, a second fluid-pressure actuated means responsive to the oscillation of said annular member for actuating said movable member, means independent of said second fluid-pressure actuated means for yieldingly holding said annular member in normal position relative to its. axis of oscillation, a second fluid-pressure actuated member movable relative to said first member for varying the time during which said fluid-pressure is admitted to said actuated means by said first movable member, and control means including a valve for adjusting the position of said second member relative to said first member.

4. In a brake arrangement according to claim 3 in which said movable members are slidably mounted one upon the other and are provided with a pair of coincidable ports respectively to provide a passageway for the fluid to be admitted to the brake.

5. In a brake arrangement for controlling the braking effect of railway fluid-pressure brakes and the like independently of the variable frictional value of the brake faces, a brake, an axle housing, an annular member oscillatably supported by said housing and axially movable of the latter to press one of said brake faces into engagement with the other, a, fluid-pressure actuated means adapted to axially press said annular member to thereby press said first brake face, a movable ported member for controlling the admission of said fluid pressure into said actuated means, a second fluid-pressure means responsive to the oscillatory movement of said annular member for actuating said movable member, spring means independent of said second fluid pressure means for yieldingly resisting oscillation of said annular member in either direction from 9. normal position, and a second movable member actuated by fluid pressure and adjustable relative to said movable member for varying the time during which said fluid pressure is admitted to said first-named actuated means by said first movable member, said second movable member having a port therein adapted to coincide with the port in said first movable member to provide a passageway for the fluid to be admitted to said first fluid pressure means.

HANS KAT'I'WINKEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,239,459 Kattwinkel Apr. 22, 1941 2,014,903 Logan Sept. 1'7, 1935 2,096,433 Logan Oct. 19, 1937 2,226,557 Eksergian Dec. 31, 1940 2,242,854 Flowers May 20, 1941 2,243,449 Aikman .1.. May 27, 1941 

